Electric switch



H. B. CORNISH. ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1922.

Patented June 20,- 1922.

HENRY i3. conNI'sH, or.

ATENT orr ce.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC sw'rrc ii.

Application filed March 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Bnnrono Con- NISH, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster and Kingdom of England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in electric switches.

According to the present invention an electric switch comprises a bar which, passes through radial perforations in a pair of cylindrical contacts or terminals between which the circuit is to be bro-ken.

This bar is for switching purposes displaceable either as a rotation about its own axis or in the direction of its axis, and preferably has cam surfaces on it engaging with a radial spring plunger to obtain a snap action.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing the invention applied to a pear switch by way of example.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a switch bar,

Figure 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of a terminal piece,

Figure 4 is a sectional view on an e n-. larged scale of the snap action pin and 1ts spring, whilst, I

Figure 5 is an elevational view on a slightly enlarged scale of the partition carrying the contacts.

The device comprises a body 1, shown in the present example as being the top of a pear switch. It is obvious that it may equally wellwbe a body of any other electr c fitting such as a wall switch or the like. This body 1 has a closing cap 2, of usual form which is provided with a loose partition piece 3, notched at 4, to allow for the passage of the switch bar 5. This switch bar has one end formed ofinsulating material, whilst the other end 6 is of metal and has an operating knob 7 at its outer end. This switch bar 5 passes through perforations 8 in the terminal piece 9. These terminal pieces are embedded in a mass of insulating material such as porcelain, ebonite or the like forming the partition 3. The terminal pieces may be provided with the usual perforations and screw connections for the con- Specification of .[.ettersPatent, Patenfwfl ,J-une 20 1922 1922. Serial No. 542,018.

ductors 10 or may be perforated as at 11, so

that the conductors can be threaded there through, the free end of the conductor being passed through the groove 12, arranged at right angles to the perforation 11, and through the open groove 13, arranged diametrically across the end of the terminal piece. It will be found that connections of this kind will not allow the conductors 10 to pull away from the terminal pieces 9. As an additional precaution the partition may be provided with the bridge 14 of usual construction having grooves 15 for the reception of the conductors 10.

The centre of the switch bar in the form illustrated has a double conical attachment 16, adapted to co-operate with a pin 17 mounted in a socket in the partition 10, and pressed upwards by a spring 18. It will con sequently be seen that as the switch bar 5' is pressed either to one side or the other, contact will be made from one terminal piece 9 through the flange 19 of the switch bar to the part 6, of this and then to the other terminal piece 9, whilst in the other position the circuit is interrupted by reason of the insulating portion of the switch bar 5 coming within one of the terminal pieces 9, the switch bar beingheld locked in either position by means of the spring pin 17 whic will produce a snap action.

I declare that what I claim is 1. An electric switch comprising a base,

a switch bar formed ofconducting and nonconducting parts, a pair of terminal pieces on said base perforated at their ends to receive said switch bar, means to displace the switch bar through said perforated terminal pieces so that conducting or non-conducting parts respectively connect said terminals.

2. An electric switch comprising a base, a switch bar formed of conducting and nonconducting parts, a pair of terminal pieces on said base perforated at their ends to receive said switch bar, means to displace the switch bar through said perforated terminal pieces so that conducting or non-conducting parts respectively connect said terminals, ,a cam abutment on said bar and a spring plunger connected with said cam abutment to I on said base perforated at their ends to receive said switch bar, means to displace the i switch bar through said perforated terminal my name this 20th day'of Febniary 1922, in

pieces so that conducting or non-conducting the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. parts respectively connect said terminals, a

double conical abutment on said switch ,bar CORNISH' 5 and a spring plunger connecting therewith Witnesses:

to provide a snap action. JAMES C. MORAE,

. In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed HENRY J. GREGORY. 

